Robert John "Bobby" Kuntz Senior was a professional Canadian football linebacker who played eleven seasons in the Canadian Football League for the Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Education
Kuntz"s football career began when he moved from Cleveland to Kitchener, Ontario. He was discouraged by football coaches in Cleveland, but at Saint Jerome"s High School he found Clem Faust, a coach willing to support his desire to play. After playing for in Hamilton, and a senior football team in Ontario, he was signed by the Argonauts in 1955 to play his first full season in the Canadian Football League. Ten years later, his older brother David died and he was forced with a difficult decision: to return home to join the family electroplating business, or to continue playing football.
His decision to return home was short-lived, after only a few months he was coaxed out of retirement by Jim Trimble, coach of the Argo"s main rival, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Career
Bobby Kuntz joined the Toronto Argonauts in 1956 and stayed with them for 6 years before being traded to the Hamilton Tiger-cats in 1962. He was a 2-way player at linebacker and fullback. In his rookie year, he carried the ball 108 times for 578 yards for a 5.4 yard/rush average.
His best rushing year was 1962, when he carried 151 times for 813 yards, a 5.4 average, and 6 touchdowns. in his career, he caught 107 balls for 1318 yards, a 12.3 average.
As a linebacker, he intercepted 10 balls, 4 in 1957. He also served as an occasional kick returner. he was voted as an eastern conference all-star at three different positions: defensive back in 1957, fullback in 1962, and linebacker in 1964.
On returning home after retirement, and rejoining the family business, he become heavily involved in the community. Kuntz was the co-owner of the family"s surface finishing company Kuntz Electroplating.
Bobby was diagnosed with Parkinson"s disease in 2000, and lived in nursing homes in the last years of his life.
Membership
Bobby was a founding member of Saint Francis Assisi Parish, and involved with Saint Mary"s General Hospital Foundation, Mosaic Counselling and Family Services, the United Way, the Congregation of the Resurrection and Saint Jerome"s University.